Name/Title
Display cabinet of Sussex Police rank insignia and badges c1974 - 1980Entry/Object ID
9Description
Wall mounted display cabinet approximately 48 x 18 inches, made of blue painted wood with a perspex cover. At the top it is marked "Insignia" and inside are displayed single epaulettes representing the ranks used within Sussex Police at the time, along with those of HM Inspectors of Constabulary. The epaulettes present are as follows: HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary together with a gorget badge: HM Inspector of Constabulary together with gorget patch; chief constable together with a gorget patch; assistant chief constable together with gorget patch; chief superintendent; superintendent; chief inspector; inspector; sergeant; and constable. There is also: a single sergeant's cloth three chevron arm badge; a chrome plated Queen's Crown Sussex Police EIIR centre helmet badge; a Sussex Police star shaped chrome and blue enamel Queen's Crown EIIR centre inspector's/chief inspector's cap badge; and a similar superintendent's/chief officers cap badge which has a gilt finish instead of a chrome one. All of the epaulettes have labels and the centre panel reads "The badges of rank displayed represent the opportunities open to every Constable for advancement within the police service.Use
To act as a wall display demonstrating the various rank insignia used within Sussex Police and HM Inspector of Constabulary.Context
The presence of badges marked "Sussex Police" in this display indicates that it dates to no earlier than 1974, the year that the name Sussex Constabulary was changed to Sussex Police. The type of arm chevron badge displayed uses a thinner style of stripe which was latter changed to a much broader style, suggesting this display was probably put together in the 1970s.
Whilst the display is a good representation of the rank insignia and badges used in Sussex Police from the mid 1970s onwards, there are a couple of omissions. The lower ranks Queen's Crown EIIR cap badge is not shown, neither is the rank insignia for a deputy chief constable, which Sussex Police did have at the time. This insignia consists of crossed tipstaves within a wreath, as used by assistant chief constables, with the addition of a single Bath Star or pip.
This cabinet would probably have originally been displayed somewhere either at the Sussex Police HQ at Malling House in Lewes or the Uniform stores at Ashley House, also in Lewes.